title: Protective effects of alkaloid extract from Leonurus heterophyllus on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury by middle cerebral ischemic injury (MCAO) in rats.
abstract: The neuronal damage following cerebral ischemia is a serious risk to stroke patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of alkaloid extract from Leonurus heterophyllus (LHAE) on cerebral ischemic injury. After 24 h of reperfusion following ischemia for 2 h induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), some rats were intraperitoneally administered different doses of LHAE (3.6, 7.2, 14.4 mg/kg, respectively). Neurological examination was measured in all animals. Infarct volume, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, levels of nitrate/nitrite metabolite (NO) and apoptosis ratio of nerve fiber in brain were determined. The results showed that LHAE at 7.2 mg/kg or 14.4 mg/kg exerted significantly decreasing neurological deficit scores and reducing the infarct volume on rats with focal cerebral ischemic injury (p<0.05). At those dose, the MPO content were significantly decreased in ischemic brain as compared with model group (p<0.05). LHAE at 14.4 mg/kg significantly decreased the NO level compared with the model group (p<0.05). In addition, LHAE significantly decreased the apoptosis ratio of nerve fiber compared with the model group (p<0.05). This study suggests that LHAE may be used for treatment of ischemic stroke as a neuroprotective agent. Further studies are warranted to assess the efficacy and safety of LHAE in patients.
authors.affiliation: SDU-Weihai International Biotechnology R&D Center, Shandong University at Weihai, 180 Wenhua Xilu, Weihai 264209, PR China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yunshan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shuliang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy*; D031332:Leonurus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009195:Peroxidase